Common Sense Media Review
Incoherent video gamey sci-fi action movie.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Ultraviolet
What's the Story?
Violet (Milla Jovovich) is a genetically engineered terrorist-assassin (called a "hemophage"). Her condition was instigated by a virus, which led to a miscarriage, so she's part angry and part sad. Violet now sports vampire fangs and skintight outfits, with shifting hair color. Her devotion to her boss, Nerva (Sebastien Andrieu), and cause is cut short when she learns that her latest mission involves the destruction of a child carried around in a briefcase. The child's name, Six (Cameron Bright), quite gives away his identity, at least in relation to the man who claims to be his "father" -- evil biochemical genius and Vice Cardinal Daxus (Nick Chinlund). Violet is damaged repeatedly, but has access to a friendly doctor, Garth (William Fichtner), who puts her together again more than once, and pledges his affection to her (even though she's more interested in the child, presumably out of maternal instincts). Still, Violet maintains her hard exterior, quick to take out all opponents and insist the boy obey her angry orders.
Is It Any Good?
ULTRAVIOLET is incoherent even by the silly standards of other video game-based movies. According to Violet (Milla Jovovich), she lives in a future "you may not understand." But how could you, if nothing makes sense? Shot with HD cameras, the film looks bizarre, as if the entire surface has been scrubbed to resemble the soft filters and Vaselined lenses of old. It's an odd effect for the SF/action genre, but familiar to anyone who remembers Jovovich's Feria hair color commercials.
While Jovovich is an appealing model-turned-movie star, she's adrift here. By the last 15 minutes, it appears that whoever edited just gave up completely, and strung together a series of unrelated shots as an unresolved, hard-to-follow "finale."
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the ethical or medical problems of cloning and genetic engineering. How are Violet's sense of identity and loyalty to her "community" premised on survival rather than trust? How does the film explain Violet's yearning for a family?
Movie Details
- In theaters : March 3, 2006
- On DVD or streaming : June 27, 2006
- Cast : Cameron Bright , Milla Jovovich , Nick Chinlund
- Director : Kurt Wimmer
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Screen Gems
- Genre : Action/Adventure
- Run time : 88 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : for sequences of violent action throughout, partial nudity and language.
- Last updated : September 21, 2019
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